The diffusion/extension approach to development communication focuses on adopting technological and social innovations through the diffusion of new ideas, services, and products. This process of diffusion starts with individual and community needs and decisions to accept or reject innovations, which depend primarily on the needs of adopters. A well-defined mass media and interpersonal communication infrastructure is necessary to support development communication efforts. The integrated approach emphasizes avoiding duplication and waste in development efforts by maintaining a balance in information facilities for both rural and urban areas.

1. Development Theories and Approaches
BJMC IV
Introduction to Development Communication
BAJMC 404
Lecture-IV

2. Diffusion/ Extension Approach to
Development Communication
The main focus of this approach is the adoption of technological
and social innovations through diffusion of new ideas, services
and products.
Diffusion of both material and social innovations is necessary for
development.
• Material innovations refer to economic and technological
innovations
• Social innovations pertain to social needs and structure

3. Diffusion/ Extension Approach to
Development Communication
• The process of diffusion starts with the need of individual and
community decisions for acceptance and rejection of
innovations depend primarily on the needs of the adopters.
• The resultant consequences of diffusion can be direct/indirect,
latent/manifest, and functional/dysfunctional. The early models of
diffusion focused only on material growth. But it was soon realized
that social growth along with material growth was necessary for
diffusion of products, ideas and services.
• Therefore, diffusion decisions have to handle the economic,
technological and social constraints .

4. Mass Media Approach Development
Communication
• A well-defined developed mass media and interpersonal
communication infrastructure is necessary for development
communication. It is necessary that these infrastructures should be
accessible to the people, both physically and socially.
• The content of the messages should be balanced. The content
should be both rural and urban oriented and addressed to masses in
both sectors.
• The messages should be need-based and they should appeal to the
audience.

5. The Integrated Approach
The integrated approach to development communication
emphasizes the need to avoid duplication and waste in
development efforts.
The balance in the spread of information facilities must be
maintained both for rural and urban, backward and prosperous areas

6. Institutional approach focuses on
education for development
Institutional approach focuses on education for development.
The emphasis is on
• Literacy-universal education
• Adult education
• Formal and non-formal education.
There is emphasis on need-based training and development –
oriented programmes conducive to development.

7. Development support communication
• In the development context, communication strives not only to
inform and educate but also to motivate people and secure
public participation in the growth and change process.
• A widespread understanding of development plans is an essential
stage in the public cooperation for national development.

8. Community-based communication
system
Community-based communication system approaches may be
evolved to ensure greater participation of local people in
planning and production of communication material which is
community-based.

9. Planned Strategy for Development
Communication
The success of development communication depends on team
approach, i.e.
• Coordination between the communication agencies (extension
workers, radio, TV, Press, etc.) and development agencies.